bui3 dou6 ji4 ci4背道而馳背道而驰
Jyutpingbui3 dou6 ji4 ci4
Yalebui douh yìh chìh
Definition
To run counter to; to act in a way that is completely opposite to one's goals.
neutralother
How it's used
Used to describe actions that directly contradict an stated objective or principle. It carries a formal, slightly literary tone despite being used in spoken Cantonese, often appearing in professional or argumentative contexts. It implies a sense of irony or frustration when someone claims to want one result but acts in a way that guarantees the opposite.
Examples
Their approach is simply running counter to the goal.
Why is what you are doing running in the opposite direction of the goal?
Related words
Common phrases
completely running counter to
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a simple physical description of walking in the wrong direction, but it is almost exclusively used for abstract goals, policies, or ideologies.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
